CU Buys Historic Building

In Baton Rouge, La., Pelican State Credit Union is going green with the purchase of downtown's historic Piccadilly Building.

"We are recycling $3.5 million in office space," said Pelican State CU CEO Jeffrey K. Conrad. "This was an opportunity for us to make a huge environmental impact in our own community."

The move to purchase and renovate an existing structure is part of the $171 million credit union's green initiative and hopes are that the 42,000 square-foot facility will achieve leadership in energy and environmental design certification.

According to Conrad, the majority of building renovations will be focused on energy efficiency and employee friendly green initiatives designed to create a happier and more productive workplace. Renovations on the building begin this month and will last approximately three years as the leased spaces become available over time. Plans are underway for credit union staffers to begin moving into the facility over the next six months while leasing some space back to Piccadilly.

"This is a big move for us at Pelican, the Piccadilly Building is over four times the size of our original Lake Sherwood Office operations building," said Conrad. "Our objective was to provide a workplace environment that we are proud of and comfortable within."?

Piccadilly was founded in 1944 as a single cafeteria in Baton Rouge and has expanded to operate 115 locations in 15 states. Conrad says Piccadilly has stayed true to its Louisiana roots by maintaining its headquarters in Baton Rouge and by being a community leader in the support of local schools and organizations.